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Chapter Three
Chapter Three The Masque of the Red Death Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's Masterpiece A Story Collaboration Written by Kiara Phoenix, Bridgette Montello, Jessica Jean, Sara Dombrowski, Britny Stewart, and Raymee Sullivan Chapter Three This chapter is told in the perspective of Jessica Jean. WARNING: This is an everything-goes fan fiction. Fiction may contain violence, strong language, and sexual themes. You have been forewarned. ''' '''I wish Steph were here with me. I stared at the champagne flute in sadness, watching as the bubbles inside the glass popped and fizzed. It was really sweet of that girl to give me a glass, but it wasn't the age I was worried about. It was the taste. Taking her advice, I sipped at the edge gingerly and burnt my tongue on the freezing cold fizz. Pulling a face, I held it in my hands and craned my neck around to see if a waiter on a unicycle could come past. Yes. A waiter on a unicycle. The room was exquisite to say the least. Tall walls of white wallpaper and gold embellishments on every item I could see. It reminded me of that story about the man who could turn everything he touched into pure gold. It ended up costing him his life. There were hundreds of other guests, all dressed in luxurious outfits with high white wigs like skyscrapers made of vanilla ice-cream and clouds. It was, in all sense of the word, a wonder. I hated myself for not enjoying it. I tugged at the corner of my beautifully white dress, playing with the silk momentarily as I searched around the room for my only friends. I didn't even know their names! Damn me and my forgetful brain. They were my only chance of surviving and I didn't even know their damn names!? It was only then that I realized a hush had fallen across the entire ballroom. I turned, meeting face-to-face with a hauntingly cruel man. No. Not man…. ''Thing. Yes. This horrible, vicious thing of blood-red skin descended the stairs. The dancers of white and gold parted to allow him passage, bowing in respect at the sight of him. Not out of fear. Out of pure idiocy.'' The Red Death. He was literally red. As in the colour. I felt it rude to stare, but I couldn't help it. His costume was dark and mysterious and flowed like blood from a wound, the cape flowing beautifully. His white mask covered his face, but didn't stop me from spying his purple dreadlocks. They were like extended folds of skin. Not hair at all. "I… am your host for this evening…" he said in the deep voice that I recognized from our phone-call. I felt my skin crawl at the very sound, poking my way through the crowd where I recognized the other five girls. Like brightly coloured fish in an ocean of sharks I practically ran to join the school, excusing myself along the way as I brushed into people. None of us spoke, watching Death walk down those majestic gold stairs like a sinner into Hell. I was so thankful to know I wasn't alone in this, despite the fact that they were complete strangers. The tall, confident girl in green glared at him. "That's him… I just wanna rip his smug face off," she whispered with absolute rage. The only other blonde in the room leaned into her, the one who had given me the drink I still clutched in my fingers. "Does… does he really look like that?" she asked, her voice a mixed breath of awe and fear. The girl in the long red dress beside me stepped in. "I'd believe it," she said at once. She was brave enough to whisper at a louder voice. "Why else would he call himself the--" "Shh!!" hushed the brunette in an elegantly pale blue. I remembered her name from her freak-out in the car: Raymee. "Don't let the other people hear… they might panic." "She's right," agreed the other blonde. "Let's keep our situation on a low-down…" I watched him as he nodded his head to the more bosomed women in white, smiling with crooked teeth as they blushed over him. This bastard was a psychopath that had threatened my friend's life. I felt myself burn. "What do you think he is?" I was already coming up with accurate descriptions. Not taking her eyes off him, the brunette in green responded. "At the risk of sounding like a madwoman, I'd say he's a demon." I watched him step down to the very last of the marble tiles, presenting himself proudly. This wasn't a demon. Demons are for make-believe and anime. It… no. This wasn't a demon. This was just a terrorist. We could beat him. We could win this. The fear in my throat told me otherwise. "Now, we all know why it is we're here…" he purred in his deep, almost seductive tone. The audience tittered and chirped like fat pigeons trying to be peacocks. "To dance! To drink! To live tonight… as if it were the last night of our lives…" The redhead next to the girl in green spoke up. "Oh no…" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. We knew what she was getting at. That dick meant it literally. "But most of all, we're here to applaud these brave young girls for accepting our challenge!" he said, casting out his hand to us in the crowd. At once, the people around us parted, hiding their faces behind their fans as the watched us with eager eyes. I hated attention. I just hoped that things wouldn't get any worse-- "Now, let's give these charming young women a hand! Everybody!" And it just got worse. The pompous figures in their beautifully ridiculous outfits of white lace and silk ribbon turned to us, the women tittering and clapping their hands quietly. I felt like they were cheering during a funeral. None of this felt…'' right.'' My palms were sweating behind my back. The blonde seemed to read my mind. "So much for a low-down…" she muttered. "But!" he shouted, ceasing the applause immediately. "First things first… Before these fine girls face their challenges, let's take advantage of this beautiful ballroom… Ladies…" He slowly stepped forward, his pointed black shoes (I couldn't help but notice that his feet were pointed into two sections, almost like a bird) tapping on the brown and tan tiles of the floor. None of us moved from our school of fish, watching him for any hidden knives or weapons. My heart raced in my chest, threatening to explode in my ribcage. He bowed low to the redhead and her beautifully long curls, who stood there in absolute shock as she took in his monstrous appearance. "Let us dance…" She blushed, hesitant and terrified. I didn't blame her. There was absolute silence in the hall that dared her to refuse his hand. Slowly, she held out her own hand in a shaking movement. "Sure…" she whispered. At once, the fire-eaters and acrobats burst into life. The orchestra began once more at a steady pace as everyone parted ways. A thin, very feminine male even emerged from the orchestra, standing in a glamorous white gown as he mouth opened into a beautifully haunting song for the waltz, nodding his head slowly in time to the band. His voice was beautiful, a strange combination of both sexes and radiating like a strange combination between past and distant future. The room morphed into a circle of people, all dancing at their own peace at a pattern of elegant circles. I watched the poor redhead's face as she tried to hide in the centre of the room, but the Red Death made sure that he and his partner could be seen. It was the cruelest thing to do in such an elegant situation. "Never thought you'd make me perspire… Never thought I'd do you the same…" The remaining four girls (plus me) stood there in total silence. Finally, the girl in red spoke up. "This is sick. If he wants me, he can come and find me." With that, she turned and pushed her way through the crowd towards the back. We all watched her leave, the four of us just waiting for what was happening next. The blonde watched the two figures dancing, taking in every nervous look on the redhead's face. She sighed. "I'll keep an eye on Britny. You three can vanish if you want." Mental note: Britny is the redhead in the gorgeous purple dress. Raymee looked over her shoulder to see the vanishing girl in red. "She's not safe alone with a bunch of strangers... I'll go make sure she's okay. Who knows? Maybe I can get her back…" With that, she gave a brave smile and parted through the crowd. I watched her leave, wanting to be sure that she was safe. The older blonde in black and white smiled after her. "Good idea. It wouldn't be best to raise his temper." The girl in green, who was looking around with a paranoid expression, agreed. "True. Even if we are in a room like this," she said, nodding her head towards the elegant madams and monsieurs. She closed her eyes, breathing in deeply before exhaling sharply. "Okay. I'll go next." I turned to her. "Are you sure? I-I'll go if you want--" "No!!" she quickly said. "It's okay, really… I… I want to get this catastrophe over and done with. Besides it… it's not right." The blonde smirked, but only momentarily. "Nothing's right here…" "Me… and… the dragon! … can chase all the pain away…" I looked around the ceiling, taking in the gold lining and the marvelous crystal chandelier. It was all so… splendid. This was more than a terrorist attack. This was pure theatre. Everything from the statues to the dancers was eye-candy, like looking at a living artwork. Two days ago I did not expect to be in a place like this… … Steph would have loved this place. In a different circumstance, in a different world, in a different time. When we would be here for a party. With free will. I'd binge on the delicious food and make a dozen cartoon references with her, hoping to have some childish fun in such a mature environment. And what about Jack? He's laugh his ass off, pulling at everyone's wigs as he danced around the place. He'd sneak with me into hiding places and try to create spit-balls that were small enough to fit into a straw, but big enough to make anyone look like an idiot. … Jack… "Are you okay?" I turned around, suddenly realizing that the blonde girl has been talking to me. I'' had'' to stop calling her that in my head, same with the other girls, but I was too nervous to say anything. Would we even live long enough to remember names? "I'm fine, just… thinking of home." She nodded. The girl in green frowned. "It's disgusting." I found myself lost. "What?" "So before I end my day… remember-her…" She groaned, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "The fact that he invited a kid like you to this sick game… It's just… fuck!" she swore, covering her mouth and glaring at the dancing figure. "I'm sorry for the language, but… God dammit, it's just…" I tried to smile. My short dress and the revealing opening didn't help the problem of my age at all. "I know… But… I need to be here." She smiled back, her eyes softening. With the tension gone, I had to ask. "I-I'm sorry, what were your names again? I'm so bad at names…" The blonde smiled, understanding it perfectly. "It's alright! I'm Bridgette." "And I'm KP," said the brunette in green. Mental note: The blonde in the awesome black and white dress is Bridgette. The girl in the green dress with the confidence is KP (or Kiara, as my mind reminded me of her first introduction in the limo.) I was about to open my mouth and introduce myself for the sake of following a pattern, when I remembered the couple in the circle. I turned, spotting Bonnie… Britny… finishing her dance with the Red Death. She curtsied, he bowed, and she tried to walk over as gracefully as possible. Not easy to do when it was clear how much she wanted to run. Bridgette welcomed her. "Everything okay?" It was a foolish question, but it had to be asked. Britny's face was pale and her pupils were shrinking inside her head. She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine… It's just… He's so freaking creepy!" she hissed. "I-I don't know what he's gonna do, and I--" KP touched her shoulder momentarily. "Calm down…" she said quietly. Britny exhaled, her whole body sinking, as she found her heart-beat. "I'll go next," said the brunette, about to walk over when Britney stopped her. "No! Um… It's her turn. He said so," she said quietly as she gestured to me. I choked on my breath. "O-Okay." "My sweet prince… you are the one… My sweet prince… you are the one…" KP turned to me. "You don't have to--" "No… I do," I replied as I quickly perfected my hair. I could feel him watching. Waiting impatiently. I swallowed, looking down at my feet as I tried to remember how to breathe. "Okay… okay…" I said, holding out my still full champagne glass to Bridgette. She took it from me and put it to her lips, taking a sip of courage on my behalf. I turned and faced the shadow in the centre of the room, ignoring all the eyes that watched my steps. This was the plague that had murdered some of the most famous faces of Kite City. This was the thing that schoolgirls and children feared before they went to sleep. This was the bastard that threatened to murder my crazy high-school crush. And I was going to dance the waltz with him. As I walked into the centre of the room, I felt his stare on my face. I looked up, finding myself meeting a set of gold eyes behind that white mask. I tried to focus on them alone, ignoring the red skin and the dark claws that replaced his fingers. Slowly, I ducked down in an attempt to curtsey. "Never thought all this could backfire… Close up the hole in my vein…" He chuckled at my attempts, not bothering to bow as he grasped my hand and forced me into his arms. Up close he was frighteningly tall, looming over me by several feet. His clothes were eerily soft for someone as chiseled and angled as himself. "Oh, aren't you sweet…" he whispered in a voice like melting chocolate. Slippery and sticky and seductive, it didn't calm me at all. I tensed up as he traced the tips of his claws down my back, resting his hand on my waist. They felt like the talons of an eagle. Like he was flirting with knives. I squirmed. He laughed like my discomfort was the funniest thing he had seen in years, cruel and twisted laughter from yellowed teeth. "Please don't…" I begged. Begged. This laugh alone brought me to begging. I wanted to curl up and die. This… this monster was getting into my mind. I let him guide me, my feet copying his as we waltzed. I tried not to think of him. Of his murders. He held me close, his talons digging into the flesh of my waist. I cringed. My clammy hand that clasped his was damp with sweat, feeling hotter and hotter in his grasp. It burnt so badly that I felt like I was trying to touch a stove. … this was no terrorist. "Oh, baby… I'm gonna make you beg a little bit longer…" he purred right into my ear. His breath blew the feathers on my mask and turned my face red. "I'm not your first, am I?" he asked me. I hesitated a response. You wish you little fuck-up. "No. I've danced before." It was true I had danced before, but… nothing like this. Nobody had ever been this close to me. So… physical… We've had our school socials. And then I only danced with Jack. This was so sensual and slow. 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3… Over and over… But his hands that clasped my waist made me want to die in the eyes of the aristoprats and obnoxious clowns. I felt like I was floating on the tiles. Barely there at all. Just… drifting. Slowly. I wanted to do this. I wanted to enjoy this moment and this room. But I didn't want to enjoy it as he gripped onto my waist with those rugged claws. My mind travelled to somewhere far, imagining worn and rugged fingertips instead. Jack's. I remember the few times that we got together to dance at our socials before my other friends and Harry swept us apart. It was… incredible… I'd give anything to be dancing with Jack in our school gym instead of wearing this beautiful dress in front of a psychopathic monster. "Me and my valuable friend… can fix all the pain… away!! So before I end my day… remember-er…" At the memory of him, I remained focused. Do not show your fear in front of this heartless bastard. You will win this. You'' will.'' As I looked over from the corner of my eye to the girls on the sidelines, I saw that the girl in red had returned. Unimpressed, but still returned. I smiled for her. For them. We'll beat this thing. Together. The Red Death spotted me looking, his grip on my waist tightening until I winced. I looked back to him, suddenly braver to risk looking into those acid yellow eyes. "What's all this for?" I asked him. He didn't answer me. His smile fell slightly, to a look of bitter disappointment. "You really want to know?" I nodded. He leaned down, our feet still moving gracefully as his breath warmed up the side of my face. Not to put it bluntly, but he was hot. Everything about him just seemed to radiate heat. I felt like I was dancing with the sun itself. His lips curled into a sick smile as he answered my question. "For fun." "My sweet prince… you are… the one… My sweet prince… you are the one…" His claws played with the ribbon around my waist, lightly touching the metallic gold star in the centre where my navel would have been. We slowed down to the point where we were simply standing. The dance had ended. I found myself short of breath, despite the fact that our dance had been so slow. He smirked, looking me up and down. I didn't realize the fact that he could see right down my shirt, but it was beginning to sneak up on me. He brought his lips to my ear once more, letting me take a good look at his angular features like some alien creature form another world. "Sara… red dress…" he whispered with an amused chuckle. "In case you've forgotten already…" How did he--? No. I wouldn't let him get to me. I wouldn't. "You are… the one…!! You are… the one… You are… the one…!! You are… the one." I ducked down in another formal curtsy, maintaining total eye contact just so that I could glare at him from underneath my cleaned-up eyebrows. 'Fuck your mother with a toothbrush,' ''they read before I turned away and walked back to the crowd of girls. I turned to Sara and her unamused expression, nodding once in the Red Death's direction. "You're up." She groaned, picking up her skirts and proceeding into the centre quickly. "Let's get this over with…" she muttered. Raymee watched her leave, a storm cloud above her head. "Be careful!" she called out quietly. She turned to myself and Britny, the only two who had danced with him yet. "What's it like?" I didn't know how to answer. "It's… terrifying… But the adrenaline of the fear makes it go by quickly," answered Britny. With no other way to put it better, I nodded. "Just… be prepared for it." KP turned to me with a sad look behind her mask. "You okay?" I nodded too quickly. "I'm just glad it's over." A poor choice of words. This was ''far from over. We had barely begun. "Never thought I'd get any higher… never thought you'd fuck with my brain…" Bridgette looked through us and to someone in the distance. "Oh crap. It's'' him."'' We all turned to where she was looking, meeting a tall figure with his ice-blue hair tied back into a ponytail. His eyes were closed and he had a calm smile on his face that I couldn't trust. Waldo the head butler. After letting him pluck my eyebrows to well-defined marks I didn't exactly'' love'' the guy. He bowed politely in front of us, a hand over his heart as he smiled. "Don't we all look lovely this evening?" he said. "Are we having fun?" KP's smile was bright and plastic. "Fuck you, old man!" she said in a merry tone. I couldn't help but giggle, trying to hide my face behind my hands. It was the first laugh I had in the past three days. The sound was new to me. And as Bridgette turned towards me with a warm smile, it became clear that it was the first laugh we'd all heard in days. "Me… and you, baby! Still flush all the pain… away…" He chuckled, clearly faking his own positive attitude. "Amusing, Miss Phoenix…" he said dryly. He stood up straight, turning to Britny and myself. "Ladies, if you would like to join me into the parlour." Britny and I exchanged glances momentarily, the two of us equally scared. KP, Raymee and Bridgette glared at Waldo. "We're coming with you." But Waldo shook his head. "The Master wishes for you to dance with him. But Miss Stewart and Miss Jean need to move away from the floor and let the other guests dance. You four can join them again very soon, I promise." Britny looked back to the others, giving a nervous smile. "It's fine. We'll go." We exchanged smiles and silent good wishes, Waldo bowing his head to them before leaving. He parted the crowd instantly, everyone just magically falling back around him like waves breaking around the rocks. I followed after Britny, the two of us trying not to bump into any of the dancers as the butler led us to a tall set of white doors just below the joined staircase. Leaving the crowd of dancers in white, Waldo grasped the golden handle and pulled it down. He bent low, allowing Britny and I to enter the parlour and escape the busy world of the ballroom. The room would've been completely black if it weren't for the dimly-lit chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The tall glass windows were covered by heavy drapes that touched the floor gracefully. I tried to tell the pattern of the wallpaper as I heard Waldo close the door behind me. "So what are we here for again?" asked Britny, turning around to face Waldo and I. Before I knew what was happening, her eyes began to widen and her jaw dropped. "Look out!!!" she screamed. I tried to turn my head, but long, thin arms wrapped around me and a cloth covered up the bottom half of my face. I could still hear the transvestite's alien voice singing the melody as I screamed behind Waldo's hand. "So before I end my day… remember-her…" My arms crushed in his surprisingly strong grip, I tried to crush his toes with my own foot. But I was becoming very… very tired… I tried to keep my eyes open, but I could feel my body relax almost instantly. I stopped squirming. My head felt heavy. Waldo let me go, watching as I collapsed on the rich carpet of the parlour. "My sweet prince…" Britny screamed, trying to back away as Waldo leapt at her. I heard a slap and a man's grunt in agony as she tried to fight back. "… you are… the one… you are… the one." I felt my body black out, my mind mixing as my heart tried to calm itself. I wanted to scream for Britny, but I could faintly hear the sounds of her muffled screaming as Waldo got her with the chloroform. I still had the taste and stench of that rag in my mouth. That acidic taste that numbed the brain. "You are… the one…!!" I heard Britny collapse, her breath heavy as she tried to fight the gas. It was useless. We both knew what was going to happen to us. And all the while, our companions outside waited for their doom. One dance with the devil and then… sleep. "You are… the one…" And all those dancing idiots outside. New victims? Partners in crime? I couldn't think about it for much longer… I… I had to sleep… … yes… I had to sleep… "My sweet prince…"